Last week, we kicked off a series of posts on transmedia storytelling–what it is, how it works, and how you can use transmedia storytelling techniques to reach more readers and provide readers with a deeper, richer story experience. (If you missed last week’s post, you can check it out here.)
Multiple Media Options
Transmedia storytelling uses multiple media platforms or channels to communicate a message or story. To get specific, that means transmedia storytelling can include pretty much any communication method you and your target audience can access. Social media? Check. Web content? Sure thing! Posters? Stickers? Fictitious ads or announcements? You bet! The table below lists some of the possibilities, but your options are limited pretty much only by your imagination.
| Print Materials | Digital Content | Direct Communications | Social Media |
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Are you getting the picture? Transmedia can deliver messages to your audience in lots of different ways!
Of course, no single transmedia project will include ALL those communication platforms. Often transmedia stories will be told primarily in one format (film, video, comic book, etc), with additional content available in another format for those who want to dig deeper.
Transmedia Storytelling Examples
Sherlock
Take BBC’s Sherlock TV series, which I mentioned briefly last week. The primary storyline is told in the TV episodes. If you want to dive more deeply into the Sherlock universe, though, Dr. John Watson’s blog adds details that you can’t get just from watching the show.
The “blog” contains other media elements as well–photos, a slideshow of Watson’s wedding photos, commentary from other characters (including a “hacked” blog entry from Moriarty), and the occasional video content, such as this news spot reporting on Sherlock’s return from death:
The Lizzie Bennet Diaries
Another great transmedia story, The Lizzie Bennet Diaries, is told primarily through vlog (video log) posts, with additional content that unspools via Twitter, Instagram, and Lookbook. (The Lizzie Bennet Diaries is a modernized retelling of Pride and Prejudice, in all its glory. If you’ve never heard of it, watch a bit. Now. You’ll get your giggles for the day!)
There are lots of other great transmedia storytelling examples out there, which use lots of different types of media to expand their story worlds. We’ll look at more in the coming weeks.
What transmedia elements appeal to you, as a storyteller or a story consumer? I’d love to hear from you in the comments!
